Cigar-vending machine.



No. 702,639.- Patented June I7, l902.=

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GIGAR VENDING MACHINE.

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CIGAR' VENDING MACHINE.

(Appxiwion med Feb. 7, 1902.)

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(No Model.)

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GIGAR VENDING MACHINE. (Application med :Lf-en 1, 1902.)

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UNITED STATES ATENT FFICE.

WILLIAM R. DUT'EMPLE, or AUBURN, RHODE ISLAND.

ClGAR-VENDING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO.Y7O2,639, dated June 17, 1902.

i Application filed February 7, 1902. Serial No. 92,957. (No model.) I

T0 a/ZZ whom, t Hetty concern.'

Be it'known that I, WILLIAM R. DUTEMPLE,

a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Auburn, .in the town of.Crans ton, Providence county, and State of Rhode Island, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Cigar-Vending Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in cigar-vending machines; and it consists, essentially, of a suitable case or housing adapted to receive therein an original-boxer package of cigars, the cover of the box being first removed, anormallylockedlongitudinally-slidable bar provided 'with a vertically-movable cigar-lifter having a pair of short needle-like spurs, means for automatically limiting the movements of the bar, so that when the lifter member is depressed the latter cannot be car` ried forward beyond the limits of the cigarbox, and a device for automatically releasing the selected cigar from the lifter and discharging it from the machine, all as will be more fully hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In machines of the class forming the subject of my present application for Letters Patent itis essential, in order to comply with the United States internal-revenue laws relating to the saleor vending of cigars, that the cigars be necessarily dispensed from the properly-stamped factory-box in which they were originally packed.

In my improved cigar-vending machine the open box of cigars is first placed and secured in position therein, followed by closing and locking or sealing the lid of the casing. I prefer to provide the lid with one or more glass panels, so that the purchaser is enabled to select from the box any one of the cigars contained therein. Now in order to operate the machine thepurchaser simply pushes the slidable bar rearwardly or until vthe lifter member is over the cigar desired. He then pressesthe lifter downwardly until the cigar becomes impaled upon the needles, followed by elevating the lifter to its limit, at the same timesliding the bar ahead onto suitable ways, atwhich instant the cigar is automatically forced from the needles and falls down a suitable chute and onto an exteriorbracket or shelf'. i

1 Among the advantages possessed by my imfor example,a fifty-cigar box or a one-hundred- A cigar box. The cigars are Visible through the top'or cover of the machine. The lifter or cigar-securer cannotv be actuated until the sliding bar has carried it past the adjacent end of the cigar-box. The longitudinal open ing in the cover for the bar is kept automatically closed by means of a flexible metallic strip secured to and moving in unison with the bar, thereby guarding the interior and rendering it inaccessible fromwithont. In case the cigarbecomes accidentally detached or drops from the lifterY before the latter has been retracted toits limit andfadvanced past the cigar-box the lifter can be again'depressed to select the same or anyothercigar.- A'llhe act of advancing the eleyatedliftjer beyondand above the cigar box, or reservoir, andon'to the supporting-ways, and the continued forward movement of the vbar releases the.`cigar-from the lifter and dischargesit from the' machine.

In the accompanying three 'sheets of'drawings representing my improved cigar-vending machine I have also shown one form of coincontrolled mechanism adapted to cooperate with the vending mechanism and which may be located within the casing. I make no claim herewith, however, to any coin-releasing or coin-actuating mechanism.

Figure l in the drawings is atop plan view of my improved cigar-vending machine, the several members or devices being in the normal position. Fig. 2 is a corresponding plan view, the cover or lid of the casing-being removed. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal .sectional view taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a similar section taken on line 4 1l of Fig. 2. In this figure the carrier-bar is representedas having been moved rearwardly, the lifter at the same time being depressed and having a cigar attached thereto. Fig. 5 is a partial longitudinal section showing the device for IOO automatically disengaging the selected cigar from the lifter after the latter has been elevated to its limit and the carrier-bar again advanced to its normal position. Fig. G is an inverted plan view of the cover, corresponding with Fig. l. Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view taken on line '7 7 of Fig. 3. Fig. 8 is a plan view of the locking-lever, dre. Fig. 9 is a plan view of the locking-lever on enlarged scale, substantially as shown in Fig. 8 and also showing it in its released position. Fig. 10 is a transverse section taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 9, showing the lever in the act of being released or tripped; and Fig. l1 is a similar view showing the lever in the fullyreleased position.

In my improved cigar-vending machine A the lower portion a of the casing is adapted to receive an original or factory box B of cigars. The machine as drawn also shows a coinchute p and a coin-holder, means for automatically closing the throat of the discharge-passage f, and a suitable exterior bracket or receiver f' for the vended cigars. The upper or cover portion a of the casing is hinged to the said lower part a and arranged to be securely locked thereto in any well-known manner. Said cover is provided with transparent panels a2 and has alongitudinally-extending opening c therein for the passage of the vertically-movable lifter-bar e, the latter being mounted in the slidable combined supporting and carrier bar b, arranged to Work endwise in ixed ways b. The cover member is further provided with means for automatically unlocking and locking the said bar members b and e. It also has iiexible means c connected with the carrier-bar for automatically closing the opening c', a device for detaching the cigar from the lifter-bar, and a slot o, communicating with the coin-chute p.

The following is a more detailed description of the machine and the manner of operating the same:

To the under side of the slidable carrier-bar b is secured a thin flat member 7L, having its rear end provided with a lateral extension or arm 7L h2. Figs. 8 and 9 represent plan views ot' the member 7L, the carrier-bar being omitted. A thin fiexible strip or ribbon c of suitable metal is also secured to the lower side of the carrier-bar. The said strip is guided laterally and extends throughout the length of the cover a and is adapted to be deflected downwardly at the ends of the casing upon moving the bar to its limit in either direction, as indicated in Figs. 3 and et. By means of this device the exposed portion of the elongated opening c', formed in the cover, is always kept closed. To the under sider and near the front end of the cover a is secured a block d5, provided with a pair of fixed laterally-separated parallel supporting-ways d, the same extending rearwardly past the discharge-passage f and beyond the front end of the cigar-box, as clearly shown in Figs. 3, 4c, and 5. The said extended portion of the ways is cut away on top to form a space di, adapted to receive and support the ends e' of the head c2, secured to the lower end of the lifter-bar e, the latter being provided with a pair of short iine needle-like spurs ci. (See Fig. 7, dac.) The said member 7L, secured to the slidable bar Z), has the lifter-bar c arranged to pass vertically therethrough, as clearly shown in Figs. 4, 7, 8, &c. The opposite or forward end of the member 7L has a notch or abutment h4 formed in one edge thereof, the same being arranged to engage a fellow abutment m6 of the corresponding end of the locking-lever m, pivoted at m4 to the under side ot' the cover ct. (See Figs. 6 and 8.) The lever m is normally stationary and not movable bodily with the member h. It is, however, kept in continuous engagement with a pin m2, mounted in the lever, by means of a spring m5. (See also Fig. 9.) The opposite or rear end m' of said lever :is adapted to be engaged by a small dog or cam c3, secured to and extending above the head portion e2 of the lifter-bar. By means of the construction and arrangement just described it is impossible for the operator (after the sliding bar b has been unlocked or released) to advance the lifter member beyond the limits of the cigar-box unless the maximum upward movement be Iirstgiven to the bar-that is to say, assuming a cigar to be impaled upon the needles ot' the lifter, the relation of the members 71. and m to each other is such that upon sliding the bar b ahead until said abutments h4 and mG engage or interlock the forward movement of the bar will be arrested, thereby at the same time preventing the cigar from engaging the adjacent wall or partition La'. The bar may, however, be moved freely back and forth within the limits of the cigar-box, as desired. In order to trip or release the lever m from the member 7L, the lifter e must be elevated to its limit, the final movement of the latter causing the cam e3 to engage the adjacent side of leverm (see Fig. l0) and swing it inwardly, thereby disengaging it from the abutment h4. (See brokenline position in Fig. 9, also Fig. 11.) When thus elevated, the carrier-bar b may then be advanced to its limit, thereby at the same time causing the end portion e' of the lifterhead to engage the top of the ways d and to force the cigar from the spurs n by means of its contact with the inclined or beveled sides cl. (See Fig. 5.) In order to limit the carrier-bars movement in the opposite or rearward direction, I may provide a hook 7l or other suitablemeans, substantially as shown in Fig. 6, said hook member being arranged in the path of the member h and forming a stop for the latter. In Figs. 2 and 7 are shown a pivotally-mounted spring-pressed coin-controlled detent s, adapted to engage the said bent portion h2 of the member h, secured to the slidable carrier-bar b.

At or near the upper end or throat of the passage or chute f, which latter :receives the IOO IIO

cigars singly as it is forced from the spurs'n upon engaging the iixed dog or cams d', is located a transversely arranged rocking shaft t, provided with ngers t', adapted to automatically close the passage in case thef machine is tipped or inclined from the nor-` mal position, thereby preventing the cigar from being improperly withdrawn from the machine. This device (shown more clearly in Fig. 4) consists of a Weighted vertical arm or lever w, pivoted at w to the casing, having a horizontal arm t4, to which is connected a link f3, in turn jointed to a crank-arm secured to said shaft t. As thus constructed it is obvious that while the force of gravity operates at all times to lkeep -the lever fw in a substantially vertical position the shaft will be correspondingly vibrated, thereby elevating the ngers t' and practically closing the discharge-passagef, as beforestated. Apin t2 may be employed to limit the angular movement o f the shaft, if desired. The original or factory box or package B,

containing the cigars to be vended, is placed in a suitable chamber 'or space provided in the casing for it, the cover ofthe box being irst removed. In order to secure the box in position and also to adapt the machine to receive boxes varying in size, I prefer to provide the machine with a movable block or clamp r, arranged to engage the cigar-box, the upper end of the block having an ,elongated opening r2 therein, through which a` clamping-screwl fr" passes. (See Figs. 2, 3, and 4.)

In my improved cigar-vending machine A,

assuming that the box B of cigars has been,

placed and secured in position therein and that the carrier-bar b, rbc., are in the normal.

position, or substantially as represented in Figs. l, 2, 3, and 6, the manner of operating the machine is asfollows: The operator by.

means of the handle b2 irst slides the bar b in a rearward direction, thereby at .the same time sliding the head portion e of the lifter from the supporting-Ways d. The operator now manipulates the bar b until the lifter member e is directly over the cigar desired or selected. Upon pressing the lifter downwardly a suitable distance (see Fig. 4) the cigar will become impaled upon the small spurs n. The lifter, with the attached cigar, is next elevated to its limit, at the 'same time sliding the carrier-bar toward the front end of the machine until the head of4 the lifter rides upon the ways d. Fig.v 8 shows the corresponding positionor relation of the parts, the cigar, however,.being omitted. The further and final movement of the carrier b, or to the position indicated in Fig. 5, causes the cigar to engage the beveled sides or cams cZ' In order to prevent the lifter from slipping downwardly in its bearing, I may use a comparatively light spring e5, (shown in Fig. 7,) therebyproducing additional frictional resistance upon the member'c.-

Having thusdescribed my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent, isl l. As a new and improved article of manufacture, a cigar-vending machine provided with a casing arranged to receive `therein'an original or factory box of cigars, a manuallyactuated cigar selecting and carrying device Working in an opening .formed in said casing adapted to select anyvisible cigar in the box and convey it therefrom, and means for automatically releasing the selected cigar and discharging 4it `from the machine, substantially as described.

2. In a cigar-vending machine, arranged to receive a factory-box of cigars, having its casing provided withl a slotted opening and a passage through which the cigars are disvcigar-selecting device or lifter arranged with respect to the box of cigars, a movable stop or lever for limiting the forward movement of said carrier in case the cigar-selecting device 4. In a cigar-vending machine, the combination with the casing having a slotted opening c formed in its cover, of the carrier b slidably mounted in said opening, the cigar-selecting device or lifter vertically movable in said carrier, a flexible member `c arranged to automatically close the exposed portion of said opening, and means for automatically releasas described.

Ico

is not sufiiciently elevated, and lmechanisms IIO "11'5- ingthe cigar from said lifter, substantially 5. In a cigar-vending machine, the combip nation with, a spring-pressed leverfmprovided with a notch or abutment, of a sliding car'- rier-barhaving a fellow abutmenton its under side adapted to engage with that of said lever, and a vertically-movable lifter or cigarselectingmember having a dog'or cam arranged to contact with the free end of the lever, whereby the latter is retracted to permit the passage of said bar, substantially as described. l

6. In a cigar-vending machine, providedA with a casing having aslotted opening communicating with the interior chamber consaid carrier, having its lower portion adapted to have a cigar attached thereto, iixed Ways arranged to receive and support said lifter and means for automatically releasing the cigar from the lifter member While the latter is in engagement with said Ways, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

7. In a cigar-vending machine, provided with fixed Ways d, a suitably-guided combined cigar selecting and lifting member e capable of being moved both laterally andendwise or vertically, and having its under side or head portion arranged to be supported by said Ways, thereby for the time being locking the member e against any movement in a vertical direction, substantially as described.

S. In a cigar-vending machine, provided with fixed Ways d and dogs or cams cZ, a suitably-mounted movable lifter member e having its lower end provided with means adapted to select and retain a cigar, arranged whereby upon sliding the member e onto said Ways the cigar will engage the cams thereof and be forced from the lifter, the latter meanwhile being prevented from vertical movement.

Signed at Providence, Rhode Island, this 3d day of February, 1902.

VILLIAM R. DUTEMPLE. lVitnesses:

GEO. H. REMINGTON, R101-1D. H. EDDY. 

